Chapter Sixty-Five: Starting With You
Halftime ended.
Shohoku 45 - Kaijo 48
Kise Ryota had scored 18 points in the second quarter alone!
"Sorato, why isn't Shohoku trapping Kise?" Aida Hikoichi asked, puzzled.
Yagami Sorato leaned back in his seat, countering with a question. "Why should they trap him?"
"They can't just let him keep playing this comfortably, right?" Aida Hikoichi said. "Besides, I think if they added Sakuragi to help, they could limit Kise."
Indeed, Kise Ryota didn't seem like the type to pass aggressively when trapped.
Moreover, even if Hayakawa Mitsuhiro was left wide open, his scoring efficiency wouldn't necessarily exceed Kise Ryota's—especially with Akagi Takenori anchoring the paint for Shohoku.
However—
"The score gap hasn't widened. And what if, in Coach Anzai's eyes, there's something more important than this game's result?" Yagami Sorato's gaze drifted toward the white-haired Buddha in Shohoku's rest area.
"What could be more important than winning?"
"Of course there is," Yagami Sorato said. "If Shohoku's goal isn't just within Kanagawa, but looking toward the nationals."
"Rukawa-kun, will you continue?" Coach Anzai asked with a gentle smile.
"Old man, sub out this useless guy!" Sakuragi Hanamichi clamored from the side. "Let this genius Sakuragi handle that guy!"
"Give me one more quarter," Rukawa Kaede said seriously.
"Very well, but the deficit cannot exceed 10 points." Coach Anzai said before turning to the other side. "Sakuragi-kun, though we won't trap yet, your help defense is crucial. We're counting on you out there."
"No problem!"
The second half continued. Neither team made substitutions.
Shohoku's possession.
After Miyagi Ryota pushed past halfcourt, he passed to the right wing—once again Rukawa Kaede facing off against Kise Ryota.
"You still haven't given up?" Kise Ryota's lips curved in a relaxed smile. "Honestly, you're stronger than I expected, but that's all."
"This game should end now."
"Heh..." Rukawa Kaede could no longer suppress that peculiar emotion in his heart. His usually ice-cold face suddenly broke into a smile.
"Why are you smiling?" Kise Ryota disliked this feeling intensely.
"Yagami Sorato, Sendoh Akira, Maki Shinichi, Fujima Kenji... and Kise Ryota." Rukawa Kaede recited the names of Kanagawa's powerful opponents.
"Starting with you—I'll defeat you here, then go beat all of them."
"You're finally willing to speak more than a few words," Kise Ryota's tone gradually cooled. "Though it's just to crack boring jokes!"
"I said you lack—"
Kise Ryota's breath hitched slightly. He suddenly felt a distinctly different pressure emanating from Rukawa Kaede compared to before.
"?!!"
Rukawa Kaede's breakthrough was completed in a flash, the speed so explosive that Shohoku's bench erupted in shocked exclamations.
"He got past him!!"
"Not done yet!"
Kise Ryota quickly pivoted, sticking close to Rukawa Kaede, trying to regain defensive position.
"BAM!"
A dull thud—Kise Ryota felt like he'd crashed into a wall. Sakuragi Hanamichi, having somehow moved to this exact spot, had executed a perfectly timed screen.
Sakuragi Hanamichi's pick!
"Sakuragi, amazing!" Akagi Haruko shouted from the sideline.
"Sakuragi isn't the type to do that, right?" Mito Yohei, who knew him best, said. "He probably just wanted to receive a pass. His movement happened to be in the perfect spot for Rukawa to use."
"Whether it's screening for Rukawa or receiving Rukawa's pass, Sakuragi wouldn't willingly do either, right?" Takamiya Nozomi clearly didn't believe it.
"That's why there's one crucial detail," Mito Yohei smiled. "Two more points and Sakuragi's scoring will reach double digits this game."
"I see!" With that explanation, the rest of the Sakuragi Army understood completely.
While they chatted, Rukawa Kaede cut into the paint, wrist flicking softly as he delivered the ball cleanly into the basket.
Two points.
Shohoku 47 - Kaijo 48
"Why?" Kise Ryota stood frozen, somewhat confused.
With Rukawa Kaede's "weak" playing style, why would he also exhibit that seemingly unreasonable, unique momentum—as if he could twist the game through sheer will alone?
"Kise?" Kasamatsu Yukio looked at him questioningly.
"I'm fine." Kise Ryota shook his head, his gaze regaining determination. "Either way, the result won't change. This game—we're winning it!"
"Obviously!"
Possession changed. Kaijo's offense.
"This kid's acting like he's carrying something again." Kasamatsu Yukio pushed the ball past halfcourt. "Game results aren't one person's responsibility, dammit."
After positioning himself, Kise Ryota quickly called for the ball.
Kasamatsu Yukio ignored him. Standing at the top of the three-point arc, he casually glanced left. Moriyama Yoshitaka understood immediately, cutting toward the paint.
Just as Miyagi Ryota's attention was drawn by his line of sight—
Kasamatsu Yukio rose up from his spot, pulling up for the jumper.
"Damn!" Miyagi Ryota leaped forward to contest, but his height disadvantage and being a step slow rendered his effort essentially useless.
"Swish!"
Three points.
Shohoku 47 - Kaijo 51
"Kasamatsu-senpai!" Kise Ryota looked at him in surprise.
"Watch your defense!" Kasamatsu Yukio shouted forcefully. All of Kaijo quickly retreated.
Possession changed. Shohoku's offense.
"This guy has a three-pointer too..."
Miyagi Ryota pushed the ball forward irritably, his speed increasing until Kasamatsu Yukio closed out—then he drove straight into the paint.
"Has Miyagi lost his composure?"
Kasamatsu Yukio pursued into the paint. Kobori Koji rotated over for help defense. The two instantly converged, trapping him.
Miyagi Ryota jump-stopped and rose for a mid-range shot.
Kobori Koji immediately jumped to contest, completely enveloping him from above.
"Miyagi!"
"I know!" Miyagi Ryota changed his shooting motion, bouncing the ball hard off the floor with both hands.
"BANG!"
The basketball threaded past Kobori Koji's side. Akagi Takenori caught it cleanly, jumping in place and raising the ball overhead with both hands before hammering it toward the rim.
"Too naive!"
Kise Ryota arrived from the diagonal, right hand viciously pinning the ball against the backboard!
Rejection at the rim!!!
"He blocked Akagi?!" Exclamations erupted throughout the stands.
However, blocking through Akagi Takenori, Kise Ryota couldn't control the ball.
In the chaos, Sakuragi Hanamichi grabbed it.
"Here!" Mitsui Hisashi found space, calling loudly.
Sakuragi Hanamichi forcefully whipped the ball outside. Mitsui Hisashi caught it, quickly adjusting for the shot.
But the instant he jumped, Moriyama Yoshitaka was somehow in front of him again.
"What?! I definitely shook him off just now!" Mitsui Hisashi gritted his teeth and forced up the shot.
"Smack!"
Moriyama Yoshitaka's fingertips poked the ball away. Kasamatsu Yukio quickly followed, controlling the loose ball before firing a long outlet pass downcourt.
Hayakawa Mitsuhiro caught it on the break, charging into the paint with long strides before hammering the ball through with one hand!
Shohoku 47 - Kaijo 53
"I know what you're thinking." Kasamatsu Yukio addressed Shohoku's players. "But Kaijo isn't just Kise's team."
"Huh? Haha..." Kise Ryota scratched his head with an embarrassed laugh.
"Letting Kise go one-on-one freely—it's because we trust our ace. That's a decision all of Kaijo made together!"
"Kasamatsu-senpai—" Kise Ryota said, moved.
"Shut up, you're too loud!" Kasamatsu Yukio shouted impatiently before seriously declaring to their opponents:
"This game belongs to Kaijo!"